by Dotson, P.
Whitey gritted his teeth because he knew Clay meant business. Clay has been out the game for a while now, but his name still made niggas hearts beat with fear. He reluctantly put his blade away for now, but this was far from over. There is no way he’s going let some bitch get away with disrespecting him in his own establishment. He gave China one last look before limping away.
Clay kept his eyes on Whitey the entire time keeping his trigger finger ready until he was out of sight. He couldn’t stand, Whitey. Clay pegged Whitey as a wanna-be thug, but he was just an overweight bully and only picked on the weak. He made a big mistake by fucking with China.
“Sup, China,” Clay said looking over his shoulder to make sure the coast was still clear. He didn’t want to stick around in the club too long so he hoped to make his sudden appearance short and to the point.
Instead of acknowledging Clay, China curled up her lips and simply walked around him. “Nene you ready?” she asked over her shoulder.
“Damn, China I don’t even get a thank you?” Clay interjected before Nene could respond.
“For what?”
“I just saved your life.”
“Nigga please, I could have handled that on my own. Nene you ready?” she asked again.
“Girl I ain’t trying to roll out there just yet. Not after what just went down,” Nene replied, her bladder heavy with fear. She didn’t want to get caught in Whitey’s crossfire for being guilty by association. She wasn’t even sure if she even had a job now because of China.
China shook her head and smirked. “And you call yourself the baddest bitch.”
“I can walk y’all outside,” Clay offered.
“No thanks,” China quickly replied. She didn’t want to be anywhere near him.
“Excuse me!” Nene said crossing her arms across her chest. “I don’t mind living another day. I’m rolling with you playboy,” Nene said hooking her arm in his. “This bitch swear she Coffee Brown or some damn body.”
“Whatever,” China said sucking her teeth and walking ahead of them.
Who the hell this nigga think he is? He ain’t getting shit from me, China thought to herself.
China walked right through the club mean mugging Whitey who was now sitting at the bar surrounded by his bodyguards. Clay kept close watch making sure nobody wanted to prove their gangsta. China flipped Whitey the finger adding fuel to the fire before slipping out into the brisk weather of January, allowing the cold air to numb her senses. Seeing Clay bought back unwanted memories. He’s the reason Dre is dead, and she isn’t ready to forgive just yet.
“Thank you Clay,” Nene purred her light brown eyes glowing underneath the moonlight. Clay is definitely eye candy with his smooth caramel skin, full pink lips and dreamy hazel eyes. To her he looked like a taller version of T.I. His hair is full of perfect waves, enough to make you seasick. She wouldn’t mind letting him melt in her mouth. His act of bravery had her panties moist all over again, and she was ready to fuck.
“No, problem,” he said unhooking his arm from hers. “Look, China I-,”
“Save it,” China said holding up her hand, cutting him off in midsentence. “Can you unlock the door?” Nene did as she was told. China quickly hopped into Nene’s Honda Accord and turned her entire body the opposite direction to avoid eye contact with Clay. She was on the verge of breaking down, but she sucked it up and somehow managed to keep her composure.
Clay looked at China and simply shook his head. She still stubborn, he thought to himself. This is going to be harder than I thought. “A’ight y’all be safe,” Clay said backing away from the car.
“Wait,” Nene said grabbing his arm. “I really appreciate what you did back there. Is there anyway I can get your number so that we can keep in touch?”
Clay eyed Nene up and down. He had to admit she wasn’t hard on the eyes at all. The way her ass filled out the low rider jeans she wore had his manhood standing at attention, but she had a reputation. He wasn’t feeling that. “Nah, I’m good.”
Nene dropped her jaw and slowly picked her face up off the ground. Damn, he just played me, she thought to herself as she made her way to the driver’s side. “Well, thanks again,” she shouted before ducking into the car.
Clay watched them leave. China never even bothered to look his way. He wasn’t expecting her to embrace him with open arms, but he didn’t think she would be this cold. He knew she still blamed him for what happened to Dre, he still blamed himself. Dre always tried to talk to him about leaving the street life alone and go legit, but Clay being young was in love with being a thug and all that came with it. He was stacking paper, kept plenty of ice, and pussy was being thrown at him on a daily basis. But like Biggie Smalls said more money more problems. His status in the streets, made him the target of many, like his second in command of his operation, Mince.
Mince was greedy and wanted to take over the empire that Clay had worked so hard and effortlessly to build. Mince put a hit out on Clay, but in the casualties of war stray bullets don’t have names. Clay and Dre just left the strip club after making it rain on them hoes, down in Baltimore. As always Clay got pissy drunk, automatically assigning Dre as the designated driver. The windows were tinted deep on his chromed out Denali, so the shooter assumed that Clay was driving. They were both hit but Dre’s wounds were fatal. He died that night in Clay’s arms before they even made it to the hospital. Clay shook his head to relieve himself of the memory. He still had nightmares about it.
A year and half has gone by since Dre passed, and he could see that the wounds are still fresh for China. She didn’t show any love, and it stung his heart. China was like a sister and he loved her just as much as Dre did.
A part of him wanted to say fuck it, but he made a promise to Dre that he would take care of her. He knew he let his boy down when Ms. Adams called and told him she thought China was doing drugs again. The glossy look in her eyes as he watched her perform on stage confirmed his suspicions. She lost a lot of weight and she looked different. He already let his boy down once he vowed he wouldn’t do it again.
Chapter 6
“You know I should smack the shit outta you, right?” China snapped at Nene.
“For what?” Nene asked, rolling her eyes and snaking her neck. “If anything I should be the one smacking the shit outta your black ass after that shit that went down tonight. Both of our lives could be in danger. China you can’t be going around wildin’ out like that. Whitey is just no ordinary nigga, he got clout in the streets.”
China laughed. “Nene, do you even know what the fuck clout means? You probably heard somebody say it.”
“Stop hatin’.”
“No, Ne on some real shit though, you wrong. You know how I feel about Clay. He’s the reason Dre is dead.”
Nene rolled her eyes unfazed by China’s sad story. “China, get over it. What happened to Dre was a mistake. You need to move on.”
China stared hard and long at Nene trying to process what she just said. “Wait,” she laughed. “Did you just tell me to get over it?”
“Yeah,” Nene said, nodding her head.
“You know you are getting real bold. Dre was the love of my life Nene, how the fuck do you get over that?”
“Simple, just find a new dick to fall in love with.”
“What! Nene whateva,” China said giving her friend the wave of her hand ready to dismiss her. “Not everybody opens up their legs or falls in love with the first dick they meet,” China said rolling her eyes and looking out the window. Nene knew how China felt about Dre, and for her to come out and say something so nonchalantly really hurt.
“Excuse me?”
“I ain’t stutter Ne, you heard me loud and clear.”
“Fuck you China! I ain’t no hoe.”
“Okay, could have fooled me. What were you doing in the playroom?” China asked placing a finger on her chin. “Oh that’s right making extra money. Is that what they call it now days?”
Nene swerved and brought her
car to an abrupt stop. “Get the fuck out,” Nene snapped.
China didn’t even flinch, only laughed at Nene’s sudden display of courage. She simply folded her arms across her chest and looked Nene directly in the eyes. “Make me.”
Nene knew she was no match for China’s crazy ass. She reluctantly put her car back in drive and pulled off nearly colliding with a Ford Explorer, but she didn’t care she’d just been punked in her own car.
That’s a’ight though, payback is a bitch she thought to herself.
* * *
China hopped out of Nene’s car without so much as a good-bye, thank you or kiss my ass.
“Close my damn door China,” Nene yelled.
China ignored her and kept on strutting to her front door. “Fuck that half way bitch,” she muttered under her breath.
“She so damn childish, get on my damn nerves,” Nene grunted as she leaned over and slammed her passenger side door before peeling out of China’s driveway.
China unlocked the door to her house and walked in with a heavy heart. She dragged herself to the living room and placed her bags in the middle of the floor. She hated being alone. She wrapped her arms around herself as stolen memories echoed off the walls, making her encounter with Clay that much harder to endure.
“Dre, I can’t do this without you,” she cried as she dropped to her knees. Her heart was heavy with agony from a love she couldn’t restore. Sometimes she wished she’d never met him at all. She reached in her bag and pulled out her pipe. She lit it and inhaled deeply.
“You know I love you right?” Dre asked, running his fingers through her hair as they snuggled on the couch watching The Five Heartbeats.
“Yeah nigga,” she joked, closing her eyes for a moment savoring his intimate touch. She could never grow tired of his touch it was something about his hands.
“Soooo, when are you going to have my baby?”
China laughed and looked at him sideways. “When you put a ring on this finger.”
“Okay bet, so that should be within the next nine months right.”
“Dre, what are you talking about?” China asked sitting up. When she sat up Dre pulled out a ring and got down on one knee.
“China baby, will you do this honor in completing me, and be my wife. Will you marry me?”
China covered her mouth tears instantly leaking from her eyes. “Yes, baby. Yes,” she managed to say through tears.
“Thank you baby,” he said scooping her up in his arms and twirling her around in the air.
China closed her eyes and smiled at the memory. “Love shouldn’t hurt this much,” she mumbled to herself as she curled up in the fetal position and cried like a baby.
Chapter 7
Marcus took in a few deep breaths as he knocked on his mother-in-law’s door. Nervous butterflies swarmed around in his stomach. He was sure that Mr. and Ms. Adams knew about him and Ciara by now. He rubbed his sweaty palms down his suit. He knew Pearl could get ghetto and the fact she never cared too much for him didn’t help. All he wanted was to pick up his son with no problems but he knew that would be too much to ask.
“It’s open,” Pearl yelled.
With hesitation Marcus opened the door.
Pap! Pap!
“Nigga you done lost your mind,” Pearl yelled, jumping from behind the door raining relentless blows across Marcus’ head with her broomstick.
“Ms. Adams,” Marcus yelled while trying to protect his head and wrestle the broomstick away from her at the same time.
“You are going straight to hell for what you are doing. Marcus you are wrong, dead wrong. I don’t know why that girl married your ole sorry ass anyway. And it’s a good thing Ciara ain’t here because she would have caught this right,” she said balling up her fist. She was angry that her two daughters would allow a man to come between them.
“Where’s my son?” Marcus asked, rubbing his head. He wanted to smack the hell out of her. Marcus took a few steps back to keep some space between them. He looked around expecting Mr. Adams to jump out at any moment.
“Where’s my son?” Pearl mocked catching him off guard and hitting him with a right hook.
“Dammit, Ms. Adams I’m warning you,” Marcus growled holding his jaw and pointing his finger in her face.
“Warning me about what? Nigga you ain’t gon’ do shit, because you ain’t about that life.”
Marcus couldn’t help but to shake his head and smirk because even in her old age Pearl was still trying to fight like she was twenty-one.
“Look, I don’t want any trouble. I just want to get my son and leave.”
“Well, you should have thought about that before you got lost in the sauce.”
“What?” Marcus said, squinting his eyes and giving her a sideways glance. “I’ve had enough of this,” he said putting up his hand attempting to dismiss her. “Junior!” he yelled.
Pap!
“Keep your old soft hands out of my damn face. Do it again and watch some fingers come up missing.”
“Ouch,” Marcus yelled.
“What’s up pops?” Junior asked, skipping down the steps.
“What I tell you about that slang?”
“Sorry,” Junior said putting his head down. “Bye mom-mom,” he said giving his grandmother a hug.
“Bye baby,” she sang sweetly giving her only grandchild a hug while mean mugging his father.
Marcus ignored her. “Do you have everything?” Junior nodded his head. “I don’t understand what that means?”
“Yes sir,” Junior mumbled putting his head down. “What about mom?” he asked as his father opened the front door to leave. He knew something was going on, because she barely said two words to him while he was there.
“We will talk about in the car,” Marcus replied, literally pushing his son out the door. He was anxious to leave before Pearl got the urge to lay hands on him again.
“This ain’t over nigga believe that,” Pearl whispered as she mushed Marcus hard in the head before closing the door. She looked upstairs at her daughter and shook her head. She was pissed beyond words that she didn’t at least talk to Junior before he left. She knew Cassidy was hurting but she was also being selfish. “It’s just time you let him go now, Cas.”
Cassidy didn’t respond. She simply wiped her tears and retreated back to her bedroom.
* * *
Cassidy stood in her bedroom window and watched as Junior and Marcus walked towards Marcus’ truck. Marcus never looked back, but Junior must have sensed her presence because he looked up over his shoulder with sad puppy dog eyes. He gave her a halfhearted wave before hopping in the truck with his father. She watched as the love of her life backed out of the driveway carrying her heart with him. He acted as if he didn’t have a care in the world, as if she never meant anything to him.
She stood there staring out the window, praying that Marcus would reappear. That he’d come to his senses and realize that he made a terrible mistake and they were meant to be together. She remained posted in the window for what seemed like hours, until her feet grew sore. Tears leaked from her eyes as she came to the painful realization that he wasn’t coming back. It was clear he’d already moved on with his life, but she couldn’t roll over as easily and move on with hers.
Cassidy reluctantly closed the blinds and curtains, finally moving from the window. She opened her purse and pulled out her Mary J Blige CD. She placed it in the CD player and hit repeat as she stopped on the song to solidify her mood. “I’m goin’ down,” Cassidy sang with Mary.
She climbed in bed fully clothed, wearing the same clothes she had on from the day before. “My whole worlds upside down,” she cried hugging her knees to her pillow.
Chapter 8
Ciara rolled over and snuggled closer to Marcus. He was finally hers. She no longer had to share him and she planned on playing this role to the fullest. She didn’t have to endure the lonely nights anymore; he’d made her the happiest woman in the world. He made her feel something
she hadn’t felt in a long time, he made her feel worthy of being loved.
She looked up at him; his forehead had a slight crease in it, as if he were having a bad dream. She bit her lower lip and allowed her eyes to scan over his partially naked body. She felt a tingling sensation between her legs. Gently she began to stroke the slight bulge that poked through his boxers.
“Mmmm,” Marcus moaned and stirred in his sleep.
Ciara took that as her cue. She slipped his dick out of his boxers and swiftly placed it in her warm and waiting mouth. Marcus was wide awake now. He quickly placed his hand behind her head, guiding it up and down on his shaft.
“Yeah Ci, just like that,” he moaned gritting his teeth while circling his hips.
Ciara slobbed his knob like it was going out of style. She placed her hand beneath her mouth and stroked his dick as she continued to bob her head up and down.
“Damn, baby just like that,” Marcus panted. He could feel the pressure of an exploding orgasm. He patted her shoulder all the while his mouth formed in the shape of an “O”. He was rendered speechless; all he could do was watch as Ciara laid her head game down. “Ah, ah,” Marcus moaned as he came long and hard in Ciara’s mouth. “Shit,” he groaned as he placed his head back on the pillow. He watched as Ciara licked his dick clean of his semen and became sick to his stomach.
Ciara sat up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “What’s wrong?” she asked taking note of the sudden change in Marcus facial expression.
“It just occurred to me, that you are pregnant.”
“Yeah, so.”
“You just swallowed.”
“So,” Ciara said shrugging her shoulders. “I’m sure it won’t hurt the baby.”
“It just doesn’t seem natural.”
Ciara got quiet. As she thought about it, it did kind of freak her out a little. “Okay, your right, I won’t do it anymore for now.”
Junior stood outside of his parent’s bedroom. His dad refused to talk to him about his mom while they were in the truck. He knew something was up; his mother would never ignore him like that. He needed answers and he wanted them now. As he stood outside the door he heard voices. A smile of relief crept across his face. Without a second thought he walked into his parent’s bedroom. As soon as he did he immediately regretted it.